How would you handle a subordinate telling you not to contact them after "working hours"?

SP5 Jeannie Carle CDR Don Wicklund I think you may have missed the point of the question, and the response from the Specialist. First, when the Specialist told the CPO not to contact him after 1600hrs (which can be considered disrespect to a senior), how can he have "...a 5 minute conversation..."? Second, as others have mentioned, every service member is on duty 24/7/365, the one exception being on pass or leave, but both can be revoked and the service member can be placed back "on-duty". When I joined, I was told that you now belong to Uncle Sam and you are on-duty every day all day, and its purpose is being able to deploy at a moments notice. Think about the call the CPO receives for immediate deployment. He/She receives a call to deploy after-hours and the CPO calls the Specialist to inform him/her that they have 24 hours to muster and deploy to an unknown location. How would it be viewed then if this were the case? If you say, that an immediate deployment alert call is different than a "regular" call, then you may want to sit and ponder that for a moment. No disrespect meant, just a side of the conversation for anyone who may not have spent much time in deployments, instead having mostly spent their career in garrison.

CDR Don Wicklund - I agree. Sounds like there's more too it. Either preoccupied with life outside of service or a beef with his leadership.

Either way the E-4 needs a serious wake-up call... add some more arrogance and I'd vote for a 15... maybe THAT would get'em back on track... if not it's time for a Big Chicken Dinner.

I have a suggestion on this matter. Maybe speak with this Service Member rather than jumping to conclusions and possibly causing an otherwise good SM to leave. We have a problem in the military where we doing look at the big picture when i comes to SMs. Jumping straight to how can i beat this attitude out of them. The mark of a great leader is one who can motivate by their actions not by their punishments. I remember the leaders who cared about me more than i can the ones who treated me like equipment.

I can remember a time when "Wall To Wall Counseling" was an option. Not often needed, but very effective when properly applied.

SGT Kevin Cooper -http://www.ncoer.com/wall.htm

You, sir, win the internet today! (and using "sir" as I would anyone else online, not trying to award you a commission!)

SSG Gregg Mourizen - BWAHAHA Choice and Dimension of lumber the best chapter

PO3 Bob McCord "OVERTIME" pay? In whose Navy???

PO3 Bob McCord Not the 1 I was in either!

for a start

I would remind him that "working hours" are not mentioned in his contract. I think 0000hrs in a thunderstorm with an entrenching tool in his hand and ten feet of dirt in front of him would be an adequate venue and time